Round up the cows! Rope little dogies! Tame Wild Horses! Ride buckin’ broncos! * It’s time for an Explorastory about Cowboys and Cowgirls!
Yeehaw!
Books:
A Wild Cowboy by Dana Kessimakis Smith
Ride ‘Em Cowboy by Stefan Czernecki
Little Lost Cowboy by Simon Puttock
One great thing about storytime is being able to use our imaginations! We asked the children what they know about cowboys and cowgirls. We talked about riding horses, sleeping under the night sky, singing cowboy songs and herding cattle. Each child could pretend they were a cowboy and cowgirl during the storytime, and I even had the opportunity to brandish my own hat, sherriff’s badge and handkerchief tied around the neck.
Songs:
If You’re a Cowboy and You Know It (this is a great opener!)
If you’re a cowboy and you know it, shout “YEE-HAW!”
If you’re a cowboy and you know it, shout “YEE-HAW!”
If you’re a cowboy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re a cowboy and you know it, shout “YEE-HAW!”
other verses:
rope a cow, ride a horse, eat some beans, etc.
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain from the CD Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Songs for Wiggleworms.
During this song, we gave all of the children paisley handkercheifs and let swing them, spin them and whoop them around like a lasso.
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain, she’ll be coming ’round the mountain,
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
The same structure is repeated with the following verses:
She’ll be drivin’ six white horses when she comes, etc.
She’ll be wearing pink pajamas when she comes, etc.
She’ll be eatin’ chicken and dumplings when she comes, etc.
Sally the Camel from Barney’s Favorites
We showed the children a picture of Sally the Camel and her 5 humps and at the end, brought out a horse puppet to show the transformation!
Sally the camel has five humps.
Sally the camel has five humps.
So ride, Sally, ride.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Sally the camel has four humps.
Sally the camel has four humps.
Sally the camel has four humps.
So ride, Sally, ride.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Sally the camel has three humps.
Sally the camel has three humps.
Sally the camel has three humps.
So ride, Sally, ride.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Sally the camel has two humps.
Sally the camel has two humps.
Sally the camel has two humps.
So ride, Sally, ride.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Sally the camel has one hump.
Sally the camel has one hump.
Sally the camel has one hump.
So ride, Sally, ride.
Boom, boom, boom, boom! Sally the camel has no humps.
Sally the camel has no humps.
Sally the camel has no humps.
Cause Sally is a horse, of course!
Another great song idea is to play the CD soundtrack “Round Up” by the Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra while the children are coming in (or while they are making their craft). This has cowboy sound effects and other great classic cowboy songs such as “The William Tell Overture,” and “Rawhide.”
Art Project: Each child made their very own cowboy/cowgirl vest with fringe and a sheriff’s badge! We cut holes in the sides and bottom of a brown paper bag to create arm and head holes, and a slit in the middle of a large side. Then the children were able to practice with their scissors by making fringe along the bottom of the vest. They also decorated their own sheriff’s badges used from a cut-out star of cardstock paper.
Celia is a true cowgirl!
*From Stefan Czernecki’s Ride ‘Em Cowboy
